1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a memory chip which is to be attached to a unit, a process cartridge having such a memory chip, and an image forming apparatus of the electrophotographic system or the like having such a cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that an electronic device such as a memory in which an IC socket is integrated with a connector is mounted on a process cartridge that is to be detachably attached to, for example, a main unit of an image forming apparatus, in order to supply information characteristic of the process cartridge to the image forming apparatus main unit, and to store information supplied from the image forming apparatus main unit as disclosed in JP-A-9-213407. In the case where an electronic device such as a memory is to be mounted on a process cartridge, for example, the electronic device is sometimes modularized so as to be easily assembled. A technique is known in which a radio communication device is attached to an outer face of a process cartridge or the like that is to be detachably attached to an image forming apparatus main unit, and information is transmitted from the cartridge to the image forming apparatus main unit by means of radio communication as disclosed in JP-A-2000-187415.
An electronic device such as a memory which is mounted on a process cartridge stores, for example, history information characteristic to the process cartridge. When the electronic device is configured so as to be easily detached from the cartridge from the outside, the information stored therein often becomes incorrect as a result of rewriting of the stored contents or replacement of the electronic device. When the electronic device is erroneously detached from the process cartridge, the process cartridge cannot be sometimes further used.